Monday, March 9, 2015

#WeaselPecker

I’m writing a piece on the #WeaselPecker meme on Twitter (the weasel riding on a woodpecker). Adobe initially fanned the flames (“Photoshop had nothing to do with this... yet. Let’s see what you badasses can do”), and British Airways posted a weasel riding one of their jets. The Today Show and others have joined in.

Why would a brand jump in on something like this? Is this still successful? Is everybody trying to redo the Oreo tweet?

This is a terrific example of two tried-and-true practices—newsjacking and humor—being fused together.

Will a hashtagged tweet boost sales? No. But it will heighten brand loyalty, which is social media’s sweet spot.

Too often, when brands on Twitbook reach for humor or newsjacking, they end up as an epicfail. But when they nail it—whether with #WeaselPecker or #TheDress—the result is funny and memorable, which is exactly what every advertiser is aiming for.